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<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nTo be a pilgrim is to be a traveler, an explorer, an adventurer.<\/p>\n
To go on a religious pilgrimage is a unique experience that can stretch us and help us grow in faith and gratitude.<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t all travel lightly. We don\u2019t all travel well. Yet, we all share a yearning to experience something greater than ourselves in a world beyond our own backyards.
That\u2019s why I love a pilgrimage \u2013 because it can bring us closer to God through the experiences of faith in a foreign land where elements of our beliefs come alive in a different way.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWe discover our world, more about ourselves, the roots of our religion and our church, and stories of people with tremendous faith \u2014- in what are now holy places. We also experience the people that surround and accompany us in the adventure. The journey becomes, at its core, a spiritual expedition, a transformative sacred journey.<\/p>\n
So many intentions, moved by the Spirit<\/h3>\n
\u201cI was honored to carry so many prayer requests and intentions. Visiting holy sites and praying for those at the right place, I was moved by the Spirit, said Marie Dennison, with her husband, Ron.<\/p>\n
While Dennisons had been on multiple pilgrimages, most of the 30 parishioners had not.
\u201cIt was not only a blessing, but a once in a lifetime experience,\u201d said 85-year-old Carol Palmai, a first-time pilgrim.<\/p>\n
Palmai\u2019s two daughters surprised her by joining their mother on the trip.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor my sister, my mom and me, being on the pilgrimage together was truly a gift: to pray on holy ground and immerse ourselves in the magnificent beauty and sacredness of the Churches and Cathedrals. It made for a deeply meaningful journey and memories we will treasure forever,\u201d said Mary Lee Walls.<\/p>\n
\u201cPraying the rosary with people from all over the world in multiple languages simultaneously made me realize the perpetual nature of the miracles at Fatima and Lourdes,\u201d<\/a> said her sister, Liz Nally. \u201cMillions of people yearly visit these sacred places to find hope and healing; witnessing and feeling the power of prayer in these places deepened my faith and desire to pray the rosary more often.\u201d<\/p>\n Visiting three countries in 10-days meant a pretty rigorous travel schedule, with crack-of-dawn breakfast boxes on a bus. But the destinations made the journey worth it.<\/p>\n \u201cI was so happy to see throngs of young people including so many young priests and religious sisters. It gave me hope for the future of our faith,\u201d said pilgrim Tricia Supic. \u201cWhen we planned our pilgrimage to Lourdes, we had no idea Pope Leo would be visiting \u2013 so it was a wonderful surprise and unexpected blessing,\u201d said Denise Bell, the parish travel agent who planned the pilgrimage. \u201cSeeing him and his motorcade pass right in front of our hotel surrounded by joyful pilgrims from around the world was an experience I will always cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n First-time pilgrims, Debra and John Stewart, were in constant awe.<\/p>\n \u201cWatching the Pope pass through the lighted sanctuary of Lourdes and pray at the grotto was heavenly and spiritually rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n As was the rosary procession, said first-time pilgrim Iris Perez.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pope walked the Rosary Walk himself, which showed his humility and that inspired me. It reminded me of one of Our Lady\u2019s greatest virtues, that of humility.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing Pope Leo within 10-feet and attending his Papal Mass were beyond our wildest expectations,\u201d said Jim and Sylvie Doyle.<\/p>\n Even for an experienced pilgrim, like Theresa Chester, this one was different.<\/p>\n \u201cLourdes was unlike anything I could have imagined. Seeing the Pope and going to the Papal Mass made my visit an unforgettable experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
And as with most pilgrimages, the unexpected happens.<\/p>\n